PARENTS are furious as huge ...hazardous... hedges dangerously block oncoming cars from seeing them crossing the road on the school run. Locals in Roundswell, North Devon are forced to play chicken on a daily basis to ensure the road is safe to cross with their kids \- as the bothersome bushes are PROTECTED by law.
BPMParents are forced to edge into the middle of the road to check for oncoming traffic '/ ' North Devon District Council have refused to remove the overgrown shrubbery, despite local councillors admitting the obstructed view was their mistake. The vast hedge is a protected Devon bank \- meaning it is protected by law under conservation and environmental regulations. Under the 1997 Hedgerows Regulations, all hedges over 20 metres long of significant historic, wildlife or landscape value are covered. Homeowners on the adjacent Glenwood Park estate have no other option but to use the precarious crossing as it is the only one they have access to. Concerned parents have hit out as the massive hedges on Old Bideford Road and Tews Lane force them to risk their safety as there is no designated crossing or signs warning drivers of possible pedestrians. One mum-of-two said she regularly waits up to 10 minutes to make the crossing with her young children due to her safety concerns. Most read in The Sun 'we're so in love' Jamie Redknapp's wife Frida has given birth as he reveals baby's name BENEFIT BOOST Universal Credit £1,000 boost for 500k working Brits comes in TODAY ONE'S ANTI AUNTIE Wills & Kate ban BBC from screening Christmas concert amid royal doc fury 'my time here is done' I'm A Celebrity rocked as TWO campmates threaten to QUIT GERI'S HEARTBREAK Geri's brother Max Halliwell, 54, dies suddenly leaving star devastated DOUBLE MURDER Former soldier, 34, arrested for murdering couple after 'parking row' Amber Wardle told Devon Live: ...I have to literally stand in the middle of the road to see if there is any traffic coming so I can let my children across. It's shocking, really. ...It only takes one of those kids to go out onto the road and you wouldn't be able to stop them.... Residents say large lorries often steam down the road at high speeds while drivers don't notice pedestrians as they're looking at the roundabout ahead. Many parents \- who would typically use the route up to four times a day \- have opted to drive the short distance to the local primary school to avoid dicing with death on the crossing. Mum Danielle Manley explained: ...As you can imagine this is very stressful and worrying with young children. We're all very concerned about it and it puts us off of walking, which is a shame being so close to the school. ...There's no speed bumps or other measures in place to slow vehicles. ...There's also no signs along any of these roads warning of school children crossing, with no safe proper crossing places for us,... she added. ...This problem is it's only going to get worse and more hazardous, with more housing being built and as the school fills up with more children.... Another parent slammed the tall hedges on the road as ...dangerous... as calls to reduce the speed limit to 20mph ramp up. I have to literally stand in the middle of the road to see if there is any traffic coming so I can let my children across. It's shocking, really. Amber Wardle They added: ...It's only a matter of time before there is an accident. I just hope it's not fatal.... County Councillor for Fremington Rural, Frank Biederman, demanded urgent action be taken at the Highways and Transport Orders Committee (HATOC) meeting on Monday. He said: ...It is so dangerous and somebody will die if we don't take action. I think it's Devon County Council's fault. ...It's not the developer \- they've completed the scheme exactly as we wanted them to do it. The problem is we made a mistake and it's not safe. ...So now we're essentially saying we aren't going to do nothing because we've got no money. Well, it was our mistake \- we should foot the bill, make it safe and crack on.... His assertions were backed up by fellow local councillors who insisted the issue be made ...a top priority.... Representatives voted unanimously to approve a site visit to the roundabout before determining a plan of action. 
BPMLocals fear the hedge issue could have fatal consequences if it is not fixed '/ ' Source:
